Insect trap



y 7, 1935. e. T. SCHRODER I 2,000,193

INSECT TRAP Filed March 1, 1929 INVENTOR Patented May 7, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE 2,000,193' msEc'r TRAP George T. Schroder, New York, N. Y. 7 Application March 1, 1929, Serial No. 343,782 6 Claims. (01; 43-121) This invention relates to insect traps, and more particularly to traps for roaches, croton bugs and the like, which traps are characterized by having primarily a screen ventilated top, a plurality of insect entrances of such form as to partially conform to the shape of an insects body so as to permit ready ingress of such insects but greatly confuse and hinder such in sects in attempting to escape, and being also be had by the insect when crawling over the top,

and also as direct access to the odor of the bait and the interior of the trap without entering the same.

Another feature of my invention is to make the outer wall of the trap round or endless, so that insects will not be discouraged from hunting entrances into thetrap by having to turn any sharp corners, and also including a plurality of inwardly pointed funnel entrances 0 novel form in said endless wall.

A further feature is to have a, bait cup within the bottom of the trap which maybe baited by merely pouring a small amount of milk or other liquid food through the top into the cup which may be either a relatively small member'fastened to the bottom of the trap, or may be made of glass and itself constitute the bottom.

Above all, it is also an object to so construct the trap of inexpensive materials as to render it very cheap and economical to use, and likewise to proportion and arrange the various parts of the whole so that the entire assembly becomes inviting to insects and certain to retain them when once caught.

Further objects and the various novel features and advantages of my invention will become more apparent as this specification proceeds.

After very much experiment and investigation, I have found that there are several things which must simultaneously be taken into consideration when it is desired to trap roaches, water bugs and the like. First, these bugs, in fact, all insects are more or less suspicious and crafty; then they have certain very decided likes and aversions relative to certain materials and structures, as well as to various imposed conditions of light and shade and the like. Among their likes may be mentioned their general liking for paper, glass, and dull colored iron of gray shades, while on the other hand, they seem to abhor bright and shining metallic surfaces if avoidable. They also like to crawl through constricted cracks and such limited openings, especially when the same appear to lead to bait of attractive kind.

Full advantage of such mentioned characteristics and others as well has been taken, and. the same combined in the novel and highly eflicient trap described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a trap made according to the main principles of my invention and embodying the same in practical form.

, Fig. 2 is vertical cross section of the same for the purpose of disclosing the interior construction.

1 Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same trap with the screencover removed to clarify the view.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the insect entrance funnels to further show its construction and possible means of fastening the same to the wall of the trap.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modification of the part shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is another modification of the same part.

Throughout the views, the samereference numerals indicate the same or duplicate parts. i

In the practice of my invention, a. trap, generally indicated at I has a round or endless wall 8 resting on a bottom indicated by l0,the latter being retained in assembly by the flange 9. The trap has a. screen top 4 which is preferably bounded by an enveloping band 3 of metal or any other suitable material. The trap proper may be made of paper, fiber or any other useful material, the same being true of the bottom. In the wall, of thetrap at 8, a plurality of somewhat conical and inwardly directed entrance 'members 6, B, are arranged, being either formed integral with the wall as part thereof, or made with I a flange upon each as at- I5 in Fig. 4, whereby'to secure the members on the wall. However, the form of these entrance membersis an exceedingly important part of-my invention, for no part of such member should present any hint to a trapped insect where to find an exit. For this as well 'as Y the, insect. a

ings, and is, for all practical purposes, forever lost to view, being thus, actually part of an optical illusion.- It. is. my experience. that nofull grown roach ever escapes from: such: an opening which just comfortably allows it to enter. This is also due to the relatively short projection of the mem-- her 6 by which entrance is had, hence all crawling within the trap is done over or undenthe members 6, 6 and around the wall 8., but. not generally out upon the entrance members; Thetravel is thus more or less imlinewith zontal or longer dimensions of the openings, and. rarely up and down across them, and they are herefore. unnoticed; As; inse ts are verse str,0ng, this, test may also he used. to; advanta e: y f r educ ng; thesize. or: the; openings; 1.. t: and slitting up the sidesgojthe entrance. members 6 .61 as indicate at I16. in.- Eiss. 2: and 4.- inorder to: allow the; opening. o: be. sprung; sli htly part. y the insect upon. ent ring. and thus more er.- rectiyelyretaining, the: same; the; entrance member p i in ack. into; shape p npassage: 01*.

Upon the. bottonnod the; trap which: is, pref;- erably removable for discharging; trapped: insects; a baitcup: 1 Ir is: securediby means of a. rivet 12-. or by any other. suitable; means, the most. easily used effective bait being, mills. In. order to. eliminate: the necessi it for: openin the trap and possibly losing. insects; already" tnaph dz, he: screen top 4 may be depressed as at 5, this chm-- struction' permittin small amounts-of; liquid; bait to bepoured tlmouglt several: of the: apertures: 01. the screen top intonthes cumbelowes thew depression will. cause.- the, liquidtoi unerringly; granttate toward the curt. for the depression: is: arranged to be located; directly ahitve the bait: cup;

for thispur'posei I The screen top may be. permanently to the trap; wall 8; iii 89. desiredz.butr I prefer to make it, in the: form of: a. removable scneem cover as shown, due: to: its neadyv manuiactunei in. this; form. The screen can also be 'continuedi down to form. the wall. at, as this: would; alsc. he practical-.. However; it is; often desirable to have; the:- entrance funnels integraL withi the.- wall Si or? the trap,, especiallywhen made: on imperiorate: ma.-

, terial such. as paper on thalike; in order to. avoid joints oii apparent, obstruct-ions; for: the: insects; Owing. to the fact thatuinsectszare readily ate tracted bybait. which is visib1e, it-may: also be desirable, tomake theibottom; of the; trap of: glass or other transparent. material indioatediaii 19; the upper portion of the, same.- at. IA. preferably extending up into.- the:' wall: 8 soithat the latter m yrest. upon a flan e onrim. ll'. Milk: another; liquid contained; in such a transparent bottom: would immediately arouse the; desire in aninsect to. enter the trap;, the; result; being: ofitenatha-li small insectsidrown when. trapped;

Theentrance-member'may be. slightlyimodifieth. as, shown at Ilfin Fig..5-whereithe smallerrend or opening k8 is: formed somewhat. like:- a diamond form, the, same principlezbeing present asbeforeas in, the; case; of; openings; 1;... 1.1 Anothenslight modification is; shown-. in: Fig:. wherein; the: ene trance member hasra rim orcflanget l5'by which it. may be. attached: tmthetrap walla.v

Various modifications such as those indicated may be made while retaining the main features of my invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim:

1. In an insect trap of the type having walls forming an enclosure and adapted to retain bait, an entrance member for insects comprising a funnel. shaped member having. an elongated opening at the inner end with the: major axis of the opening adapted to extend in a horizontal diiiection, and the sides of said member adjacent to the ends of said axis being slit toward the other end oithe member.

- 2..-I11 an insect. trap of the type having walls forming an enclosure and adapted to retain bait, an entrance member for insects comprising a funnel shaped member having an elongated opening at the inner end with the major axis ai the: opening adapted to; extendin a horizontal directiorn. and the: sides: of the opening; meeting; to) form acute angles having. their respective. apexes atthe extremities-pt said major axis.

3;. Im am insect trap: oi the.- type; having: walls: fiorming an: enclosure and; adapted; toretain bait, an. entrance member ion. insects comprising, a funnel; shapedl member havingv an. elongated. openin at the: inner end;witl1:.the major axis. on the; opening; adaptedtoextend: in; a. horizontal direction, the sides; ofi'the opening; meetinggtoform acute angleshaving theirrespectiyez apexes at the: extremities; of: said major and the sides; of said. member; being slit atv the apexes of;

saidranglesi.

4;. Im am insect trap of the; type.- having; walls ionming an. enclosure and: adaptedtoiretain bait am entrance .memben for insects comprising: a filmnela. shaped. member having. an; elongatedopening at the inner end with the majpr. axis an the opening. adapted to: extend; in: a horizontal direction the sides; ofi said; member adiacentv to the ends ofi said. axis; being slittoward. the: other endtof: the: membena bottom, a: cup secured to the; bottom. andl having. a: verticat wall, the: sur face of: which inwardly, disposed of. the innen end of the funneli shaped member, and; a; screen forming; anupper olosune, said: screen. having a depressed portion, the-upper edge of whichi has 2n periphery disposed inwardlycf the: inner endot the tunnel shaped. member whereby. when liquid. bait is poured on. the screen. at substane tiallw the. center thereof. it. will: be: directed into.

said cup,

5:. A03; insect: trap comprising; a member. having walls; and Hi bottom; said walls including; one on more funnel. shaped: members. each of which has; an. opening at the inner.- end with. the. major axis; of; the: opening adapted to extendin aborizontlal direction andthe sides of. which. adjacent to the ends of said axis are slittowards the other, endiofthamcmben; and atop, the; latter consisting of. a periorated member having a central depnessedsporti'cn the: outer boundaries ofwhich are inwardly disposed with respect to the inner ends at the; tunnel: shaped, members, and a. container at substantially" the-.same width dimension as; theidepressedi portion: positioned beneath said depressed; portion: whereby when: liquid. bait is poured on the: perforated; member atsubstan-- tially the: center: thereof: it, wilt be. directed. intov said; container.

6.; insect trap; comprising; a member-having; walls and! abottom sazidnwallss including one on more tupnnel shaped members, each of! which (lib has an opening at the inner end with the major axis of the opening adapted to extend in a horizontal direction and the sides of which adjacent to the ends of said axis are slit towards the other end of the member, and a. top, the latter consisting of a, perforated member having a. central depressed portion the outer boundaries of which are inwardly disposed with respect to the inner ends or the funnel shaped members and positioned directly above a central portion of the bottom whereby liquid bait poured on the depressed portion will be directed toward the central portion of the bottom.

GEORGE T. SCHRODER. 

